This goes back a few years. Far Eastern Russia. In a lot of ways, very comparable to places in the USA; in most ways, however, there are notable differences, as you can see. I had a wonderful, exciting time over there for a year in 1993 and 1994, then again a couple times when I went over there to do some hunting. Last time I was there was in 2001; doubt I'll ever go back.

City of Vladivostok could easily be Portland or Seattle, but maybe a bit "dirtier"



My leopard study area in October. Lots of hardwoods. At least 17 different species of maple. Extreme diversity.



The same exact stream (Kedrovaya River) in January.


Hope you enjoy.
Jack

Beautiful stream.

I am glad you were able to experience such a vast, interesting place.

I guess this guy is now appropriate for this Russian theme ..

Thanks Sharon, for the beautiful yenote, raccoon-dog, Finn raccoon, etc. They are a neat little critter, not quite like anything we have over here.

Jack

I had no idea they make such gorgeous coats, Jack. I wondered if they did, when I did this illustration, the photos I saw, the fur looked nice on many of them.

I wish those instant camera phones were invented when you were on your travels...to get video of places as you worked there would have been wonderful. But you have lots of nice photos, and that's a good thing.

That is some beautiful country. Thank you for sharing.

I can't imagine it being dirtier than Portland or Seattle. That diesel haze looks like most cities in Asia or Latin America

white17 -

I could easily be mistaken about the "dirty" comparison between Vladivostok and those west coast cities. I've not been through a US city (other than Boise) in more than 15 years, and I suspect they might have changed a bit.

Just south of SEATAC on I-5 there is a tent city under the interchange that probably 'houses' 3000 people. Boise would fit under an off ramp You haven't missed anything in the last 15 years.

https://youtu.be/bpAi70WWBlw

UGH....Seattle used to be fairly clean and I never saw stuff like that . Now it is trashed. I don't know how they will ever clean up that situation.

Years ago I bought a Finn Coon parka Ruff from Sandy Mattey. It looked like it would work, and was much cheaper than the standard wolf-wolverine ruff. She sewed a zipper to it and my hood so it could be removed for washing. The ruff worked great, preferable to wolf actually, because the hairs weren't so wispy and in my face all the time. Only down side is some folks thought the ruff came from my old lead dog Oscar! I would not do that to you old boy, Rest In Peace, Oscar.

That's almost in NK and/or Mongolia. How was the hunting? They probably get salmon runs there (?)

Squaretimber -

Yes. Where I lived for about a year was squeezed west and south of Vladivostok on a little peninsula of Russia with North Korea just to the south, China immediately on the west, and the Sea of Japan to the east. The guys I hunted with had a hunting/trapping area just to the north and east of Vlad, out near the Lazovskiy Reserve. Hunting was for Himalayan bear, Roe deer, Sika deer, Red deer, Russian boar. Salmon streams were full back when I lived there, but I suspect today they are empty streams. Major poaching with hundreds of nets all across the rivers back then. There was absolutely no escapement. Sad.

Couple years ago, I had a short gig with Smithsonian/Minnesota Zoo for trapping wolves (for radiocollars) in central Mongolia out of Ulan Bataar. That was some interesting country, and very fascinating fauna. However, I didn't take to the people in Mongolia like I did in Russia. Probably partly because I didn't speak Mongolian. Fortunately, a lot of the old-timer Mongolians spoke Russian, so we could chew the fat somewhat.

Jack

It’s interesting that maple are most diverse in Asia and oaks are most diverse in North America. Places in North America have similar diversity of oaks but we completely lack the maple species. I think it’s 9(?) species of maple and over 50 oak in NA. It would be very strange to this westerner to have that many species of maple growing naturally.

Jack very cool pics., Not the dirty one